I saw a story recently about a North Carolina woman whose dog “Mochi” disappeared. She feared someone may have taken him. One of the most worrisome things for a pet owner is being unable to find your furry friend. Having a pet ID tag is a good idea, with your phone number on it so someone can call if they find your buddy. The problem with ID tags is that they can come off.
Another option is to have your pet microchipped. A tiny little chip, no larger than a grain of rice, is inserted under the animal’s skin, often between the shoulder blades. The procedure is relatively painless, requiring no anesthetic or special care. It will last for the life of the animal. And there’s no danger to the pet, because the microchip has no batteries or moving parts.
As the owner, you go online and register the chip with your name and contact information. If your pet is ever lost, animal shelters and veterinary offices have microchip scanners that can detect the unique number on the microchip. The shelter or vet’s office can then look up that number in the database and make sure your furry friend finds its way back to you.
The North Carolina woman’s daughter saw a social media post from an animal shelter that was looking for a new home for a dog they had placed, but he was returned because he didn’t get along with the family’s other pets. When the daughter saw the picture, she immediately recognized Mochi, and arranged a reunion that made her mom and the dog very happy.
The thing is, Mochi was microchipped, but the owner’s information had changed and the database had not been updated, so there was no way to use it to get that dog back to its rightful owner. The most important thing to do - after having your pet microchipped - is making sure your contact information stays up to date in the database. That will help to ensure your best friend can find its way back to you, when you’re speaking of pets.
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